Fraction collector



Aug. 24, 1965 E. L. DURRUM FRACTION COLLECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 1, 1963 M mm mw WC ATTORNEY Aug. 24, 1965 E. L. DURRUM FRACTION COLLECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 1, 1963 IN VENTOR. E MME T L. DURRUM ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,202,325 FRACTHQN CULLECTOR Emmett L. Burt-um, Redwood City, Calif., assignor to Durrnrn instrument Corporation, Redwood City, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Apr. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 269,664 4 Claims. (Cl. 222-181) This invention relates to chromatography and more particularly to fraction collectors for use in chromatography or other procedures involving controlled distribution of liquids.

The use of fraction collectors is well known in the art and a variety of traction collecting devices are already available. In general, fraction collectors comprise means for dividing up, or fractionating, the effluent delivered from a chromatographic column and then collecting the divided portions of the eflluent in separate containers. Usually, the prior art fraction collecting devices divide the effluent by means of a delivery tube which is programmedto deliver to one container and then move in timed sequence to delivery position for adjacent containers, remaining stationary during delivery to each container.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fraction collector structure.

More specifically an object of the invention is to provide a fraction collector in which the delivery tube moves continuously throughout delivery to all containers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fraction collector which is simpler and less expensive to manufacture, this feature being provided in part by the relative simplicity of the continuous motion drive as compared to sequential motion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fraction collector which has a versatile range of utility, including simple means for adjusting the number of fractions to be collected and the time period during which the collection is performed, and even including means for collecting simultaneously from more than one chromatographic column.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a fraction collector which eliminates loss and atmospheric contamination of effluent.

Briefly described, the fraction collector according to the present invention comprises means for supporting a stationary chromatographic column, a movable feeder connected to a continuous motion drive, and a stationary distributor for separating the flow from the feeder into individual delivery channels. The chromatogaphic column is preferably connected to the feeder by flexible tubing and the delivery channels of the distributor are similarly connected to appropriate containers.

These and other objects and features of advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a fraction collector according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is essentially a top view on enlarged scale, taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1, and showing the movable feeder plate partly cut away to disclose a representative portion of the distributor.

FIGURE 3 is essentially a cross section on the center of FIGURE 2 with the right portion being shown in elevation; and 7 FIGURE 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of FIG- URE 2.

Referring in more detail to the drawings, a preferred form of the fraction collector 1 comprises a movable feeder 2 and a stationary distributor 3, both mounted above a base 4. In operation the effiuent hows from a chromatographic column vessel 5 to the feeder 2, through the distributor 3 and into a plurality of containers 6 arranged around the base 4, only one container being shown by way of example.

In more detail, the base 4 is made of metal in the form of an inverted dish, as shown best in FIGURES l and 3. The wall of the base has thickened portions 9 drilled part way to receive the ends of metal support posts 10. There .are preferably three posts Iii equally spaced around a circle and held firmly attached to the base by screws 11. The chromatographic column vessel 5 is held in place by a convention clamp 12 which slides along one of the posts 4- and is held in place by a thumb screw 13.

The movable feeder 2 is in the form of an inverted shallow dish made of a chemically inactive plastic material having a plurality of feeder passages 14 therethrough. The feeder passages are located at positions spaced along a diameter of the feeder. The column vessel 5 is connected to a selected one of the feeder passages by a flexible plastic tubing 15 having a conventional end fitting 16 which is simply pressed into the passage 14. In order to facilitate the conenction, a raised rim 17 is provided for each of the passages 14. A downwardly projecting sidewall 18 on the feeder almost touches the distributor 3 to make a substantially closed system. The feeder is mounted on a drive shaft 20 for rotation therewith. Shaft 2% is journaled on a bearing boss 21 at the center of the base 4 and passes freely through an oversized aperture in the distributor 3. The distributor is therefore not driven by shaft 20. As shown best in FIGURE 3, a spacer 22 fits over the end of shaft 20 out of contact with the distributor. The feeder rests on a flange 23 on the spacer and is attached for rotation with shaft 20 by a screw 24.

The shaft 20 and the feeder 2 are continuously rotated during the collection operation by means of a synchronous electric motor 26. The motor and shaft are engaged through a quick-connect structure in the form of axially meshing splined teeth 27 on the motor and 28 on the shaft. The base 4 is provided with a downwardly projecting rim 2d having a plurality of bores 30 spaced therearound. The casing of motor 26 has a plurality of projecting screw heads 31 which are received in bores to prevent rotation of the motor relative to base 4. The motor is held in place axially by releasable means in the form of a spring clamp 32. The base 4 has a downwardly projecting boss 33 to which the clamp is attached by means of a spacer sleeve 34 and screw 35. A switch 36 and a conventional wall socket 37 are attached to the base so that current passes from an inlet cord 38 through the control of switch 36 to the socket 37. The motor 26 has a cord 39 with a conventional plug 4i which c"ir"Be'="-ri1 serted or removed from socket 37 when the base 4 is tilted. The described construction makes it possible to passage.

'is positioned as shown in FIGURE 1.

change motors quickly and easily by simply removing plug 44 rotating clamp 32 out of engagement, and then pulling the motor down to axially disengage the spline connection. Another motor of different speed can be inserted in reverse of the removal procedure. Thus, the rate of revolution of the distributor can be changed without the expense and complication of the variable speed transmission systems employed in conventional fraction collectors of similar versatility.

The distributor 3 is in the form of a plate of chemically resistant plastic supported on rings 44 which slide over posts 10 and are held. in place by set screws 45. Distributor 3 is intended to remain stationary, and to assure this condition the bottom of the divider can be provided with arcuate recesses 4-6 fitting around the received portions of rings 44. Actually, however, there is no tendency for the distributor to rotate. The distributor plate is provided with a plurality of groups of circularly arrayed distributing channels, four such groups 47-54) being shown in FIGURE 2. It will be noted that the number of groups of distributing channels corresponds to the number of feeder passages 14 in the feeder, and that the circle radius of each group corresponds to the radial distance from the center of the feeder to the associated feeder FIGURE 2 shows a representative portion of the distributor channel pattern which is simply repeated around the entire divider. Each of the groups of channels comprises a plurality of separate channels 47'5 arranged around a circle.

In the. embodiment shown in FIGURE 2, there are thirty-two channels in group 47, sixteen channels in group 48, eight channels in group 4!), and four channels in group 50. As shown in FIGURE 3 each of the individual channels comprises a tapered upper portion 51 and a constant diameter lower portion 52. The lower portions 52 receive conventional press fittings 16 on plastic tubing 53 which delivers to the containers 6. In order that the efiiuent delivered from the feeder passages 14 will not deliver onto a flat surface of the distributor disk 3 and thus not reach the collecting containers 6, the junctions between the distributing channels in each group are made to slope into the adjacent channels. Preferably, these junctions are in the form of sharp dividing lines such as designated 54 in'FIGURES 2, 3 and 4.

In operation, the chromatographic column vessel 5 The tube 15 is connected to one of the feeder passages 14, selected on the basis of the number of fractions desired in a given unit of time. Assuming that the maximum number of fractions is selected, thirty-two containers 6 are arranged around base 4, and each container is connected to one of the distributing channels 47' by tubing 53. The motor 26 is turned on and the feeder 2 begins to rotate continuously at a constant rate of speed. Efiiuent flows down through the selected feeder passage 14 and drips into one after the other of the distributing channels 47' as the feeder passage rotates. Thus, each of the containers receives an amount of effluent which is delivered during equal time intervals. At the end of the desired cycle of rotation of the distributor, normally one revolution, the motor is turned off, either manually or by a conventional automatic timing switch to which the main electric line 38 can be connected.

7 It will be noted that the device is extremely versatile in that the desired number of fractions can be easily and quickly secured and changed by simply selecting the appropriate feeder passage. Additional adjustment can also be easily obtained by substituting different distributor plates'having different numbers of channels in each group. In addition, the rate of rotation of the feeder is easily varied by changing'motors, for example, substituting a motor having an output shaft speed of one revolution in twenty-four hours for one having a speed of one revolution in twelve hours. Further, it is possible to collect from more than one chromatographic column simultaneously by securing more than one vessel 6 to the posts 4. It should also be noted that the side 18 of the dis shaped feeder makes a substantially'closed system to eliminate loss or atmospheric contamination of the chinent. The simplified construction makes the device extremely simple to assemble, operate, disassemble, clean :and adjust.

Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown and described herein, it is to be understood that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims For example, the various parts can be made of materials other than those specifically mentioned. Also, the specific shapes and types of motions of the various parts can be varied as long as the stated purposes are obtained. In addition, it should be understood that although the primary use of the fraction collecting structure is in the field of chromatography, it is also useful for other procedures involving controlled distribution of liquids. i

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent isi 1. Fraction collector structure comprising a base, a plurality of support posts'vertically mounted on said base, a stationary distributor supported above said base by said posts, a drive shaft rotatably mounted on said base and projecting through an aperture in said distributor, a movable feeder above said distributor and mounted on said drive shaft for rotation therewith, a synchronous electric motor mounted on said base and connected to said drive shaft, said feeder'having a plurality of feeder passages spaced at ditferenet distances outwardly from the axis of rotation of the feeder, said distributor having a plurality of separate groups of distributing channels therethrough, each of said groups comprising a plurality 7 of separate channels arranged in a circle spaced outwardly from the axis of rotation the same distance as one of said feeder passages, said base being in the shape of an inverted deep dish, said motor being located in said dish, said connection between said motor and said shaft comprising quick-connect structure releasable by axial movement of the motor away from the shaft, said motor and said base having mutually engaging portions preventing relative rotation, and quick release means releas ably clamping the motor in a position providing engagement of said quick-connect structure.

2. Fraction collector structure as claimed in claim 1 and operable to move said feeder passage continuously around a circular line of travel, a stationary distributor having a plurality of separate channels therein arranged around a circle beneath said circular line of travel, a chromatographic column vessel mounted on said supporting structure above said feeder, and a flexible tubing connecting said vessel to said feeder passage.

4.. Fraction collector structure comprising a supporting structure, a feeder rotatably mounted on said supporting structure and having a plurality of selectively useable feeder passages spaced from each other radially relative to the axis of rotation of said feeder, a continuous motion drive mechanism connected to said feeder and operable to move said feeder passages continuously around concentric circular lines of travel, a stationary distributor having a plurality of separate channels therein arranged in a plurality of circles with each circle posi-' tioned beneath one of said circular lines of travel, said distributor channels in each of said circles being separated from adjacent channels in the same circle by a sharp edge facing said feeder, said feeder and said distributor being disk shaped members, one of said disk shaped members having an annular rim extending closely adjacent the other of said disk shaped members to form a substantially closed system, a chromatographic column vessel mounted on said supporting structure above said feeder, and a flexible tubing connecting said vessel to one of said feeder passages.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Russell 222-330 X Nickerson 73424 X Gorman 141-130 X Berg et al. 222-330 Haskell et al. 222330 Young 22l-13 10 RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner. 

3. FRACTION COLLECTOR STRUCTURE COMPRISING A SUPPORTING STRUCTURE, A FEEDER ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORTIN STRUCTURE AND HAVING A FEEDER PASSAGE,A CONTINUOUS MOTION DRIVE MECHANISM CONNECTED TO SAID FEEDER AND OPERABLE TO MOVE SAID FEEDER PASSAGE CONTINUOUSLY AROUND A CIRCUMAR LINE OF TRAVEL, A STATIONARY DISTRIBUTOR HAVING A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE CHANNELS THEREIN ARRANGED AROUND A CIRCULAR BENEATH SAID CIRCULAR LINE OF TRAVEL, A CHROMATOGRAPHIC COLUMN VESSEL MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORTING STRUCTURE ABOVE SAID FEEDER, AND A FLEXIBLE TUBING CONNECTING SAID VESSEL TO SAID FEEDER PASSAGE. 